This invention relates to ejector racks and, more particularly, to a novel ejector rack of the 30-inch type which is ideally suited for use in supporting, releasing and/or forcibly ejecting nuclear bombs, large conventional bombs, and some large nuclear and non-nuclear missiles from an aircraft, with the ejector rack and the store carried internal of the aircraft, and with the ejector rack attached to the aircraft.
It is well known in the art that the principle problems with regard to the use of prior art ejector racks of the type above-described are as follows:
Firstly, existing racks of this type do not provide sufficient separation velocity for the stores mounted to them. With aircraft flying at higher speeds under higher aerodynamic pressures, more velocity is required to separate the store from aircraft as it flies through the aerodynamic flow field surrounding the aircraft.
Secondly, existing racks of this type also impart very high forces to the store being ejected for very short periods of time, such as 2 or 3 milliseconds. This causes the weapon designer to add heavy structure to the rack in order to accept the high peak forces.
Thirdly, existing racks of this type which incorporate release linkages and nuclear safety interlocks are subjected to high vibration loads which can sometimes inadvertently release the weapons.
Fourthly, most of the current weapon ejection devices used for large stores are extremely heavy and inefficient.
My inventive 30-inch ejector rack structurally incorporates a number of a new structure concepts (in the form of fundamental features and/or significant improvements) that counteract the above-mentioned problems of the prior art; and, additionally, my 30-inch ejector rack also incorporates other fundamental features that are significant, novel, and attain long-sought goals.
Some of these new structural concepts and other significant features are as follows:
Firstly, the inventive ejector rack embodies mechanical devices which control ejector gases, so that the high short time peak load is avoided. Instead, a lesser peak load is maintained for a longer period of time, such as 30 to 40 milliseconds. This provides for high store ejection velocity, while imparting much smaller loads (than now exist) to the store.
Secondly, the rack embodies a counterbalance system, which includes a plurality of counterweight assemblies that offsets the effect of vibration loads tending to release a store through inadvertent action of the linkage and trigger mechanism. The total mass of the counterweights is essentially the same as the mass of the linkage which can cause the inadvertent release of the store.
Thirdly, the rack incorporates a novel bypass system which comes into usage when the ejector gas-generating cartridges are inadvertently fired. This bypass system allows ejector gases to be channeled around the head of the piston, and then through additional bypass grooves in the bottom of the piston shank. This provides that the forces applied to the store being carried are less than the forces that are normally applied (and are necessary) during the ejection cycle.
Fourthly, the rack also incorporates mechanical "spools" under the piston head to effect a pitch rate, or a tilting, of the store during ejection. This is sometimes required to achieve adequate separation characteristics. The use of "spools" is novel in the art, as opposed to the use of orifices in prior art racks. The "spool" technique provides no change to the gas dynamics of the system, as is inherent with orifices and other gas diverging devices. Also, the "spools" do not wear or erode as orifices do.
Fifthly, another structural feature of the rack is a piston deceleration bypass groove which decelerates the piston at the bottom of its stroke, preventing damage due to impact.
Sixthly, still another structural feature of the rack is novel configuration of component members which permits the piston and the cylinder to be removed as a unit for cleaning, without the disassembly or removal of the rack from the aircraft to which it is attached.
By virtue of all of the foregoing, my novel 30-inch ejector rack constitutes a significant advance in the state-of-the-art.